Preferences
by yourSECRETKEEPER
Summary: Oliver Wood and Jamie Finnegan had been best friends for ages. However, Jamie begins to realize how she really feels about Oliver. But will his obsession with Quidditch get in the way? COMPLETE!
1. Regarding Transfiguration

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything it all belongs to J.K…you know. So on with the story.

This story was originally a super long one shot that I have divided into four. Just a little filler while i'm suffering from a severe case of writers block with my other stories.

Regarding Transfiguration…

**Jamie Finnegan is failing Transfiguration. **

It's not like I'm a bad student or anything. I really do try my best but Transfiguration is just so damn hard. There's something about it that confuses the crap out of me. Of course, it could be the fact that I have it first thing in the morning, and honestly who is awake then?

You know who is awake then? Oliver Wood is awake then. Oliver is the top of our class in Transfiguration. Of course it doesn't hurt that McGonagall is completely in love with him either. Maybe it's just the fact that she firmly believes that Oliver is going to lead Gryffindor to win the House Championship this year, but whatever way you look at it, Oliver is amazing at Transfiguration.

I've been trying to get this stupid frog to turn into a pillow for hours and nothing is happening. The frog does feel a little bit softer though. Or maybe it's because I've been holding it for two and a half hours. Admitting defeat is not something I like to do. Maybe it's time I go ask Oliver for some help. Seeing as I've only been his best friend for what, I don't know six years already he should be more than willing to help.

I began the familiar trek up the seventh year boys' dormitory stairs. Trisha Freitzel looked up from Witch Weekly and frowned at me as I began to take the stairs up one by one. It's not my fault my best friend happens to be a guy. She however, is convinced that I am a slut and the only reason Oliver Wood is friends with me is because I have him under a love potion. She stands by this belief firmly, even when I point out to her that if I had him under a love potion Oliver and I would be a lot more than friends. I reckon that's not something Trisha would like very much. She still glowered at me throughout the duration of my climb up to the boys' bedroom.

"I am getting Transfiguration help Trisha!" I call down to her showing the blonde crazy my frog.

"Sure you are Finnegan," Trisha replies nastily. It's not my fault she refuses to believe anything I say. On the other hand, it is her fault that I have a small amount of friends my gender though. She has them all convinced I am some sort of whore who goes up to the boy's dorm and sleeps with all their boyfriends. It's not my fault my best friend is a guy! I mentally curse Trisha and push open the door to the boys' dorm.

"Hiya Red!" calls out Fred, or George, I'm not quite sure, either way it was one of the Weasley twins. It's quite ironic that they have seen it fit to nickname me red when both of them have ginger colored hair as well. Although, as it has been frequently pointed out to me that my hair is the color of a fire truck; bright bright red.

"Why are you guys in the seventh year dorm?" I asked them curiously. The Weasley brothers had situated themselves on their brother Percy's bed and they were currently writing some sort of letter.

"Because Lee's tarantula has taken over our dorm," Fred began.

"And he hasn't been able to find it, as of three hours ago," George finished. My eyes widened in fear. Spiders I can deal with, tarantulas on the other hand…

"Don't worry Lee's sure it hasn't left our room," George said noticing my face.

"Well, he's pretty sure," Fred added. I shuddered pushing thoughts of Lee Jordon's pet spider out of my mind.

"Have either of you guys seen Oliver?" I asked.

"He's in the shower," Fred informed me.

"Should be out in a few minutes," George added.

"What's with the frog?" Fred asked noticing the animal in my hands.

"It's supposed to be a pillow," I informed the pair.

"That's unfortunate," George remarked.

"Frogs make awful pillows," Fred agreed. I rolled my eyes taking a seat on Oliver's bed. Talking to the Weasley twins made me dizzy sometimes. Those two could drive even Professor Snape insane. And that is a great feat seeing as he chooses to display no emotion or feeling other than pure hatred for anything that isn't evil or Slytherin. The twins had gone back to doing whatever it was that they were doing. I watched them pour over a piece of parchment. They were apparently working very hard, something I very rarely saw the pair of them do.

Oliver finally decided to be done with his shower. I heard the water go off and the shower curtains swing open. There was a few moments silence followed by a string of cursing. Fred and George looked up at the door and then rolled their eyes. Oliver probably tripped on his towel or something. Although, I thought to myself, that was highly unlikely because we would have heard a rather loud thump. Just then the door to the bathroom opened. Still clutching the frog I looked up about to tell Oliver that he had taken far too long in the shower when he walked into the room, completely naked.

To say that I handled the situation nicely would be an exaggeration. Upon seeing Oliver's "goodies" I screeched like a banshee. I then tried to get up and run away but I tripped on Oliver's towel which he had conveniently left outside by his bed. The towel twisted under my feet as I flew like superman across the room. I eventually landed facedown on the wooden floor. The frog startled by my insane screaming had jumped out of my arms and launched itself onto Percy's bed. Fred and George were crying with laughter as the frog croaked contently beside them.

All the while, Oliver just stood there watching me have a total spaz attack. Oh yeah, and he still wasn't wearing any clothes. I stood up my face currently the shade of my hair. I immediately fell back over upon realizing that Oliver still hadn't even tried to cover himself up. It wasn't my fault that my best friend was incredibly good looking and very "gifted" in certain areas. I couldn't control the fact that he was simply standing there in all his naked Scottish glory.

"Jamie when you are done falling on your face would you mind handing me my towel?" Oliver asked amusement clear in his voice. I got up for the second time with as much dignity as I could and handed Oliver his towel which he promptly fastened around his waist. Instead of asking me why I was here interrupting his shower Oliver focused on the frog which had hopped from Percy's bed into Oliver's.

"Why is there a frog in my bed?" Oliver asked curiously. I stared at him completely flabbergasted. I couldn't think straight when my best friend was currently standing half naked covered by an entirely too small towel. So instead of explaining that I needed some help turning the frog into a pillow which I knew full well Oliver had mastered last lesson I settled for shrieking like a crazy person. I was doing a lot of that today.

"Put some clothes on would you!" I exclaimed before bolting out of the room. I could faintly hear on of the twins telling Oliver that the frog was not a frog but in fact, a pillow that looked exactly like a frog. Trisha raised her eyebrows as I came speeding down the stairs.

"Where's your frog?" she asked me accusingly. I stopped in mid run. Between making a fool out of myself in front of my best friend, something I did just about everyday, or being questioned by the vicious Trisha I would take the acting like a fool any day. So I did what any sane person would do and I bolted right back up the stairs.

**Oliver Wood is amazing at Transfiguration.**

I stared at the Weasley twins in complete disbelief. I hadn't exactly planned on walking out of the shower to a full audience. It's not like being seen completely naked by my best friend didn't embarrass me but was all the shrieking really necessary? Just then Jamie stumbled back into my room.

"Why aren't you wearing clothes yet?" she demanded to know.

"Jamie relax!" I exclaimed pulling a shirt on over my head. This seemed to calm her down. Jamie was very prone to freaking out. She had a tendency to blow things out of proportion. Jamie seemed to have calmed herself down enough to pick up the frog pillow and sit down next to the twins. I climbed back into some pants and this seemed to relieve Jamie very much. It was as if she wasn't screaming like a banshee five minutes ago.

"I need some help," she said holding out the frog.

"I think you need a little bit more than some help," Fred remarked smirking. Jamie glared at him. I couldn't help but grin.

"Let me guess, that frog is supposed to be a pillow?" I offered.

"Yeah," Jamie sighed sounding very frustrated, "It was supposed to be a pillow two and a half hours ago."

"Alright," I said smiling. Jamie was pretty much awful at Transfiguration. "How about you make yourselves useful and leave?" I said addressing my beaters.

"Why? So Red can turn into a full on banshee and scream some more?" asked Fred.

"Funny," remarked Jamie glowering at them. Her cheeks, I observed, were still slightly flushed.

"We were just about to see ourselves out anyway," George announced.

"We are done here," Fred commented.

"We have no more use for your company," George added.

"Oh shut up!" Jamie said sounding genuinely annoyed.

"Relax banshee girl!" Fred said as he and George left laughing.

"One day I'm just going to snap. And then Gryffindor will be down two beaters," Jamie remarked at their retreating backs. My eyes widened in fear. Jamie was completely horrible at Transfiguration but not Charms; creative hexes and jinxes were her specialty.

"No way are you killing those two until the final is over," I said firmly.

"Fine," Jamie agreed, "as long as you help me make this stupid frog a pillow."

"You try. I have to see what you're doing wrong," I instructed. And so began the transformation of the frog. For almost as long as I've known her Jamie has come to me whenever she needed help. Not just with Transfiguration but with everything. When we first met it was sort of a mutual agreement. We helped each other out but we wouldn't exactly call ourselves friends. Somewhere along the line I really began to rely on Jamie and the other way around. It wasn't until after my mum died did I realize how much I truly needed Jamie. She helped me through my mum's death and the after affects. That was in fourth year, and ever since we've been inseparable.

"You're doing the motion wrong," I pointed out watching Jamie flourish her wand at the frog. I demonstrated the correct movement. Jamie mimicked the movement first without the words and then adding in the spell. Unfortunately, the frog remained a frog.

"Stupid frog," she muttered, "If McGonagall wasn't going to check work I would just bring in this pillow and hex the damn thing into oblivion."

"I don't think that would work out too well," I pointed out. Jamie wrinkled her nose. "You're doing everything right you just need to concentrate a little bit more," I observed after five more minutes of fruitless wand waving.

"I am concentrating!" Jamie exclaimed clearly very frustrated. Although, she was yet to resort to banshee like screaming.

"No you weren't. Unless concentrating is remembering our dear captain in all his Scottish glory," Fred remarked appearing out of nowhere. Jamie and I both shrieked. Jamie shot at least five feet into the air and I tumbled off of my bed sideways.

"That was graceful," George laughed.

"You screamed like a girl," Jamie laughed.

"So did you!" I pointed out in retaliation.

"As opposed to what?" Jamie asked as I realized the shear stupidity of my comeback.

"A banshee," Fred offered.

"Fred Weasley I swear to Merlin above I will" Jamie began.

"No hexing my beaters until after the cup!" I reminded Jamie.

"Down banshee girl," Fred said relishing in torturing my friend.

"I forgot my quill and we wanted to see what you kids were up to," George explained their presence as he retrieved his writing implement from Percy's bed.

"I suggest you both leave before banshee girl decides to unleash her wrath," Jamie said.

"Actually I'm having some fun staying here," George said smiling.

"I can still schedule that dawn practice I was thinking about," I threatened. This sent the twins running. Oh how I loved being the captain. But now that I'm thinking about it another practice couldn't hurt...

"Oliver how many dawn practices are you going to have before you realize that getting up that early will give you premature wrinkles!" Jamie exclaimed, "Not to mention those hideous black bags under your eyes."

"I don't care if my team ages before their time as long as we win that cup," I told Jamie for what seemed like the hundredth time. Jamie sighed. Honestly, you would think that after six years of knowing me she would realize Quidditch is the single most important thing in my life right now. But oh no, according to her I should be worrying about bags under my eyes and premature wrinkles. I laughed at the absurdity of her statement there was no way waking up early would give me premature wrinkles.

"Oh it's about time!" Jamie exclaimed her voice full of relief. I looked over at her. She was now proudly holding a pillow that was a rather ugly shade of green. I heard the pillow give a faint croak but Jamie didn't seem to notice. Maybe I was imaging things. Maybe Jamie's insanity was rubbing off on me.

"Maybe you should keep your thoughts to yourself," Jamie suggested laughing.

"Did I say that out loud?" I asked frowning.

"Yep," Jamie replied hopping off my bed clutching her frog pillow. "See you tomorrow!"


	2. Regarding the Weasley Twins

_((A/N Woohoo chapter two!!! I hope you guys like it the story gets much more interesting I promise!!_

_Much thanks to Leridan and Vartika for reviewing. Reviews make me happy. ))_

Regarding Fred and George Weasley…

**Jamie Finnegan wants to kill The Weasley Twins.**

I was currently listening to Oliver go through all the ways in which he would love to brutally murder Marcus Flint. Now don't get me wrong I hate the guy as much as your average Gryffindor but honestly there are so many times you can head how Oliver would love to dismember the boy before you get bored. So you can't blame me for actually being glad to see the Weasley twins approaching us.

"Hello Captain," George said with a nod to Oliver.

"Banshee Girl," Fred acknowledged me mimicking his twin's previous nod. Oh he just couldn't let it go.

"Dumb, dumber," I replied.

"Charming," Fred commented.

"Can we help you?" Oliver asked annoyed. He clearly wanted to rant about Flint some more.

"Actually you can," George said. The twins both had a very suspicious mischievous glint in their eyes. When I pointed this out to Oliver he just sighed and told me they always looked like that. We should have known better. Note to self: Next time the Weasley twins ask you for help say NO!

"We want you to help us test out one of our new inventions," Fred announced.

"What is it?" Oliver asked.

"Oh that I'm afraid we can't say," George frowned.

"If you're thinking that I'm going to test out something that I have no idea what it will do you are completely out of your minds," I told them.

"Not if we leave you alone for oh, I don't know, a week," Fred offered. The offer was very tempting. A week without Fred and George pestering me was like a week in paradise. Oliver was obviously just as tempted as I was because he said, "Alright what do we have to do?"

"Just drink this, one each," the twins chorused. Fred and George handed us each a goblet full of a sweet smelling drink. I sniffed at the concoction apprehensively. An aroma of strawberry sweetness clouded my senses and apparently my judgment. If it smelled so good could it honestly be so bad?

"Cheers," said Oliver as we clinked out glasses together and downed the contents. To be honest I had been expecting something crazy was going to happen. I had been scared that Oliver and I would suddenly turn into rabbits or something strange like that.

"Ok and also if you wouldn't mind could you guys just bump into each other?" George added.

"Bump into each other?" I echoed. The twins took my response to be a no; therefore they took it upon themselves to shove us into each other.

"Ow," I muttered as my face collided with Oliver's chest. It was then that I was overcome by the urge to grab my best friend and snog him senseless. I jumped back from Oliver my eyes wide. He was looking at me rather strangely as well. I couldn't explain where this sudden urge had come from. Oliver kept looking at me all funny and it was getting rather unnerving. Suddenly it clicked.

"You two can not be serious!" I exclaimed rounding on the twins. I could feel my cheeks getting red with anger.

"Oh come on it's funny right!?" Fred said grinning.

"Explain!" I demanded.

"Alright calm down," George added. Oliver just kind of stood still not completely understanding what was going on. He had yet to say anything since the drinking of the so called invention.

"For one week anyone that either of you has direct contact with is going to have the urge to snog you!" Fred said smiling. He was clearly very proud that their potion was working.

"You prats!" Oliver exclaimed finally comprehending the situation around him.

"That and for a week you two are going to have a hard time resisting each other too!" Fred added with a smirk. Oh how I wanted to hex him silly. But I couldn't, I had to control myself. My resolve crumbled.

"I am going to murder you two!" I exclaimed. And this time Oliver didn't try to stop me; instead he joined me. We literally chased the twins around the common room. I finally caught up to Fred and grabbed his arm.

"Bloody hell!" Fred exclaimed pulling out of my grasp as if I had slapped him. He stepped back from me looking very alarmed.

"What?!" I asked honestly confused.

"This might make you really mad," Fred said warningly.

"What!?" I repeated getting anxious.

"You just touched me!" he explained. Realization hit. Oh crap.

"No I didn't!" I yelled jumping away even further from Fred.

"And the desire only goes stronger with time!" Fred continued taking a step towards me. Oh no there was no way I was going to let him get any closer.

"Stop talking!" I yelled.

"You guys weren't supposed to get anywhere near us we were supposed to leave you alone for a week conveniently enough," Fred added as if this were supposed to amuse me.

"Ok I'm going to run away and you are not going to snog me!" I exclaimed sounding banshee like even to my own ears. As I began to walk away Fred started following me.

"The desire only grows with time! Just kiss me now and make it go away!" Fred yelled. We resumed the chase around the common room only this time I was running away. Oliver and George stopped to stare at us and wonder how the roles had been reversed.

"Just kiss me and get it over with!" Fred bellowed. George and Oliver instantly burst out into laughter.

"Oh and by the way Red, the "desire" only goes away if you kiss him back!" George added laughing hysterically as I tripped over my own feet. Luckily I managed to scramble over to the stairs of the girls dormitory. Fred, without thinking tried to follow me. This resulted in the stairs turning into a slide sending him down on his butt.

"Ow," Fred muttered darkly. I took this as an opportunity to first, laugh in his face, and then lock myself in my dorm.

"What the hell was that?" asked Michelle, one of the few girls who still considered me as somewhat of a friend after Trisha's nasty doing. Even if I told Michelle the truth she wouldn't believe me.

"Oh you know Fred Weasley decided he would try to kiss me," I said as calmly as ever.

"Oh my god you didn't let him did you?!" Michelle exclaimed.

"Of course not. I ran away," I told her.

Unfortunately Fred was right about the "desire" growing with time. When I went downstairs for breakfast the next morning Fred ambushed me. He looked very upset.

"Just kiss me already!" he exclaimed much to the amusement of the rest of the common room. I heard several snickers. One idiot had the nerve to let out a cat call. I did not need this.

"No! I don't know what your problem is Fred but Oliver ran into me and he isn't chasing me around then common room!" I countered.

"Clearly he has better self control! It's driving me insane! I just want it to go away!" Fred groaned. He was probably not planning on his little joke backfiring against him. If I wasn't so annoyed with the situation I would have felt sorry for him.

"Well prepare yourself for a week of agony because there is no way I'm kissing you Fred Weasley," I told him stubbornly.

"As much as I enjoy watching you reject Fred I'm starving so let's go to breakfast," Oliver interjected. I eyed him cautiously. Against my will I was harboring the desire to grab my best friend and snog the crap out of him. As soon as we were out of earshot of the rest of Gryffindor Oliver turned to me with a blazing look in his eyes that I usually associated with him working out new Quidditch plays.

"Look I'm not going to avoid this stupid "desire" thing. Every time I'm within a few feet of you I want to just grab you and kiss you-but I'm not going to. Can we just pretend it doesn't exist?" Oliver asked sounding really concerned. I tilted my head to look up at him; I had to because he was significantly taller than me. I could see the distress expressed so easily in his eyes.

"Pretend?" I echoed registering what he was asking me to do, "Ok I guess that's the best thing to do." Yeah, ok so now all I have to do is pretend that this strange desire isn't there. Ok I can do that.

**Oliver Wood thinks that the Weasley Twins are liars.**

I have no idea what's happening to me. Ok scratch that I know exactly what's happening to me. Two days ago Fred and George Weasley tricked me into drinking a stupid potion and now I want to snog my best friend! The whole "desire" thing is taking over my mind. I can't control it. I'll just be sitting in Defense Against the Dark Arts and my mind will wander to how pretty Jamie's eyes are…a light celery green. See! I just named my best friend's eyes celery green. I normally don't do things like that. Or I'll be helping Jamie out with her Transfiguration assignment and I'll start counting the freckles on her face. I even memorized them: Five on her nose, three under her left eye, and three under her right eye. Not to mention the other day she finally gave into Fred Weasley and kissed him! It was two minutes of pure torture. I felt this awful jealous rage course through me.

And that's not even all. I have over the week accidentally bumped into a few random girls. They have taken to stalking me. It's just awful. I can't even come up with plays in peace. I even bumped into Colin Creevy! That poor kid is probably all confused now, wanting to kiss a bloke and all. Fred has also decided it's necessary to push it into my face that he kissed Jamie. I have to keep reminding myself that it's just the potion and not how I actually feel about her.

However now it's been one week since that stupid prank and I still want to kiss Jamie. It's not as bad though. It's more like I have a lingering affection for her. And I still have all her freckles memorized. I never memorize anything except for what plays we'll be using during the upcoming game. On the plus side the stalkers have given up.

I was trying to finish up some Charms work when I couldn't help but overhear Jamie complaining to Fred and George that the affects of the potion hadn't worn off yet.

"That's interesting," George was saying thoughtfully.

"Well that must mean that Oliver's potion is still affecting people," Fred concluded.

"Hey Captain get your arse over here!" George hollered over to me. I sighed getting up and walking over.

"What?" I asked annoyed. George plowed himself into me. "Ow you idiot what was that for?" I asked.

"Nope it's not his potion," George concluded. "I feel no desire to kiss Wood." Well that's a relief because there is no way in hell I would ever kiss George Weasley.

"Well then why isn't it going away?" Jamie demanded to know.

"The stupid "desire" hasn't gone away for me either," I put in. George then walked into Jamie. She narrowed her eyes at him obviously not liking being plowed into.

"Nope. Don't feel a thing," George commented.

"Well then what the hell is it?!" I demanded to know. The last week had been very awkward for me and Jamie and I just wanted things to go back to normal.

"You two have no idea the kind of week I had!" Jamie exclaimed sounding very angry. I could sense Banshee girl threatening to break out of her. "I never realized how many people I accidentally run into! Roger Davies decided it was necessary to stalk me because I accidentally brushed his elbow during lunch the other day. He even tried to follow me into the bathroom. Cedric Diggory has been sending me all sorts of strange poems because I stepped on his foot by accident."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Fred commented.

"Don't even get me started on the chaos that was you Fred Weasley!" Jamie said her voice rising. "I even ran into Professor Snape!" I couldn't help but let out a laugh. I got the image of Snape staring in utter horror as the realization dawned on him that he wanted to snog a Gryffindor. Fred and George started laughing as well.

"Just this morning I got a written apology from him explaining he did not know why he was acting so strange but he was very sorry if he offended me!" Jamie said almost at banshee level.

"Ok I can see how that would upset someone," George tried to console her.

"I had stalkers," I put in.

"Oh I'm sure that was horrible! At least your professors weren't staring at you!" Jamie seemed truly upset about it. I couldn't help but want to give her a hug and tell her it was all going to be ok. That was just a friendly feeling, right?

"Well I don't see why the "desire" wouldn't have gone away for you two," George said.

"Unless," Fred began throwing George a meaningful glance.

"Unless?" Jamie and I asked. I was slightly afraid of what they might say.

"Unless it's because you two fancy each other!" Fred and George chorused. This statement was followed by a very awkward silence and a lot of forced nervous laughter on my part. That was impossible.

"Funny," Jamie said sarcastically.

"We weren't kidding," George said. But like I said that was impossible, unacceptable even. There was no way that I liked Jamie. We were just friends, best friends and nothing more. So what if I like to count her freckles when we're doing homework. Who cares if I get a little protectively jealous when some other bloke kisses her? What does it matter if I sometimes get the urge to snog her? Just friends. We are just friends.

"Yeah ok sure," Jamie replied laughing sarcastically. I couldn't help but wonder. What if I did fancy her? No, I told myself. That was just no feasible. The twins were insane. They were insane and they were lying. The Weasley twins were insane liars. Yeah, exactly. When they left Jamie turned to me and asked, "They were kidding right?" I looked up at her. She looked concerned, scared even.

"Of course they were," I said as if saying it aloud would make everything go away.

_((Please read and review!! Reviews make me update faster!))_


	3. Regarding Friendship

((A/N Chapter Three…only one more chapter to go! By the way I totally love girlabc123 and cinny75 for reviewing!!!!!))

Regarding Friendship…

**Jamie Finnegan thinks, to hell with Friendship I'm in love with my best friend.**

After long hours of careful consideration I have to come to the sad sad conclusion. I am in love with Oliver Wood. How did I come to this conclusion one may ask? Well it all started when the stupid Weasley brothers decided to test their prank on Oliver and me. Unfortunately, I was stalked mercilessly by very annoying boys. Not to mention I spent a week with a burning desire to kiss my best friend. The week ended and what'dya know?! I still want to kiss my best friend.

I needed to confide in someone. I needed to talk to someone really badly. It's not like I had any real girl friends to talk to thanks to Trisha so you can't really blame me for what I did next. I found Hermione Granger and complained to her about my life.

I figured she would understand. Hermione's two best friends are both guys. She's in the same situation as I am. Ok well maybe not the same situation. I highly doubt she feels the need to snog Ron Weasley but I was desperate. On second thought maybe she does…So anyways I told Hermione everything. And you know what she did? She laughed!

"Im sorry but Professor Snape!" she giggled.

"Yes I can see how that would appear funny but when it's you it is so not funny!" I told her shuddering as I remembered the haunting stares I would get during that week of Potions class.

"Alright and you said you still want to kiss Oliver?" Hermione asked in a very businesslike manner.

"Yeah! And that's not all! It's like every time he's around me I'm all fluttery and even when he's just in the same room as me I can't help but smile. Those are so not best friend feelings." I told Hermione.

"No they aren't," she agreed. "Well it sounds to me like you fancy Oliver."

"What!?" I screeched.

"Calm down you sounded very much like a banshee just then," Hermione remarked.

"So I've been told," I sighed, "I can't like Oliver! Hermione he's my best friend I can't like him."

"Oh you don't like him, you love him," she informed me.

"Of course I love him…love him like a best friend," I stubbornly defied her.

"No you love him like a lover," Hermione disagreed.

"You're wrong," I said sounding much like a two year old.

"Ok then let's do a little test," Hermione suggested barely concealing a smirk.

"Alright," I said sounding a little bit weary.

"Do you come to all his Quidditch games?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah but that's a friend supporting a friend!" I put in.

"Yes I know," Hermione said continuing, "Do you stare at him during Transfiguration?"

"No!...ok fine sometimes…a lot," I replied as my cheeks began to get red.

"Friends don't stare at each other," Hermione said smirking, "Ok do you help him with his homework?"

"Yeah but he helps me with mine! It's a best friend thing!" I defended myself.

"I know but have you ever written an entire essay for him?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Only twice!" I exclaimed. Guilty.

"What color are his eyes?" Hermione asked.

"Blue usually. But sometimes when he's really sad I can see a little bit of grey in them. Or when he's working on a Quidditch play they darken just a little bit," I elaborated.

"Just blue would have been a friendly answer," Hermione told me smiling, "Ok one more question," she informed me as I reddened some more. "How much do you think about him?"

"All the time," I groaned giving in and fearing the worst, "It's like Trisha has taken over my mind and all I can think about is Oliver. Oh Merlin's pants! I'm in love with him!" I exclaimed dramatically. "What do I do Hermione?" I asked desperately. There was no way I could handle this on my own.

"Well you could tell him," Hermione offered.

"No. There is no way I can tell him. All Oliver ever thinks about is Quidditch. It's Quidditch this and Quidditch that and oh that would be a great play! Not to mention it would totally ruin our friendship for like…ever." I explained feeling very sad. Hermione looked at me with pity in her eyes. Being in love with your best friend is just not smart, it's downright stupid.

"Well it's your decision. I hope it all works out for the best," she said smartly.

"Yeah me too."

**Oliver Wood thinks friendship is way too important. **

I don't understand why I can't stop thinking about Jamie. Maybe it's a strange side effect from the Weasley's potion. I can't fancy her. That would just be…wrong. She's my best friend. I can still remember back to when we first met, well not met really but had our first conversation.

_Flashback:_

_It was the first flying lesson for the Gryffindors and Oliver Wood couldn't have been more excited. On the other hand, Jamie Finnegan was absolutely dreading it. She had an extreme fear of heights. Oliver Wood had practically run down to the Quidditch pitch while Jamie Finnegan had to be dragged down by Percy and Michelle. Once they had been instructed to pick up their brooms Oliver could barely contain his glee. Upon his first "Up" the broom had jumped into his eager hands. Meanwhile Jamie's broom had just rolled over helplessly on the ground. _

_Eventually the entire class was in the air flying only a few feet from the ground. Professor McGonagall had given Madam Hooch permission to allow the first years to toss around some balls once most of them had gotten the hang of flying. McGonagall was really interested to see if any of the first years had an aptitude for Quidditch. It was then that Jamie's broom, and old Cleansweep had decided to throw her off to the ground below. _

_Hooch had landed next to her observing that the petite girl had broken her arm. She wasn't hurt in any other way though. She had asked Oliver to escort Jamie to the hospital wing as it looked like Oliver knew how to fly and didn't need much instruction. Oliver, pleased with the compliment, touched down to the ground and took Jamie to see Madame Pomfrey. _

"_I hate flying," was the first thing out of Jamie's mouth as she clutched her arm her face contorted in pain. _

"_Really?!" asked Oliver amazed at how anyone could hate anything as wonderful as flying._

"_Really," Jamie said angrily, "I hate flying."_

"_You shouldn't hate flying," Oliver told her._

"_And why not?" asked Jamie stubbornly._

"_Because it's one of the best feelings in the world. Have you ever truly flown around in your backyard. It's amazing," Oliver explained._

"_No I haven't. I hate being high up in the sky," Jamie told him._

"_You're afraid of heights?" Oliver asked curiously._

"_You could say that," Jamie confirmed._

"_Well you shouldn't blame flying. If anything you should blame Cleansweeps and school brooms. Because I'll tell you what! That broom was crap. I could tell," Oliver told the girl trying his best to make her not hate flying. _

"_Maybe," the girl said, "but I still hate flying."_

"_So then you hate Quidditch too?" Oliver wondered not liking Jamie very much. How could he possibly like someone who hated his favorite thing in the entire world?_

"_Well to be honest. I don't really understand Quidditch very well," Jamie confessed._

"_Are you kidding?" Oliver asked in shock._

"_No," Jamie admitted her face beginning to flush with embarrassment. _

"_It's only the single most amazing sport in the entire universe," Oliver exclaimed._

"_Tell me about it then," Jamie said. Oliver then launched into a lengthy explanation of his beloved game. Jamie found it harder to harbor a dislike for flying anymore. How could anyone hate something when Oliver Wood was there speaking about it so passionately? _

"_I guess that seems kind of cool," Jamie finally agreed. At their next flying lesson Jamie received another Cleansweep. She looked at the broom with distaste._

"_You got a Cleansweep again didn't you?" Oliver asked._

"_Yeah," Jamie sighed looking at the broom apprehensively._

"_Here switch with me," Oliver insisted extending his better broom to her._

"_Thanks!" Jamie said eagerly holding the broom and looking a great deal more excited about flying. _

"_Don't mention it," Oliver said grinning. He just wanted to show her that flying could be amazing. _

_End of Flashback_

I couldn't believe that anyone could hate flying at the time. Jamie never did fall in love with Quidditch the way I did but she never missed a match. It didn't matter if I was playing or if I was in the stands yelling myself hoarse Jamie always came to the matches.

There's also the fact that she has always been there for me. When my mum died it was as if I had hit rock bottom and I could never be happy again. I felt like there were thousands of dementors around me all the time. Jamie and I weren't even that close of friends back then. She just sort of saw that I really needed some help and she helped me out. It was like I was drowning in my sorrow and she saved me.

But that doesn't mean I fancy her. That just means she's my best friend. However sometimes when I let my guard down I do some things a best friend probably doesn't. Like count her freckles. I know she has eleven but I can't help count them. Sometimes in Charms I find myself just staring at her. Percy even had to break me out of my trance like state one time. There's also the tiny little fact that sometimes on the very rare occasion, I want to kiss her.

It is true that before she came along I never had any real friends. She used to point out that I was socially backwards. I used to have a hard time getting the nerve to talk to people I didn't know. That was until I met Jamie. Jamie I am proud to say is just as socially backwards as I am. She just likes to pretend she isn't. But we both know it. That's what makes us such good friends. Sure I had friends before she came along but we were never really that close. And Jamie has told me countless of times that the only girl in our year she can really tolerate is Michelle. But just because we're both socially backwards doesn't mean that we fancy each other…does it?

"Oliver do you know you tend to talk to yourself?" asked Alicia Spinnet, one of my chasers. I am not proud to say it but I shrieked like a girl again.

"Bloody hell Alicia you scared me!" I said calming down a little bit.

"Sorry," she said not sounding all that sorry. "But seriously you talk to yourself…a lot." That was something Jamie was constantly telling me I did.

"How much have you heard?" I asked her.

"Enough to know that you are pretty much the stupidest person I have ever met," Alicia sighed.

"Stupidest isn't a word," I pointed out.

"Whatever, do you want my advice or should I just leave you here sitting all by your socially backwards self," Alicia offered. There goes my theory that she was just pretending she knew everything so she could use her pretend knowledge as blackmail to get me to cancel the next dawn practice.

"I guess," I mumbled.

"Well we all know that you and Jamie fancy the pants off each other," Alicia began.

"What?!" I asked sounding almost like a banshee. Jamie was really rubbing off on me.

"It's so obvious. A guy and a girl can only be best friends for so long before one of them falls in love with the other one," Alicia said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's not true," I interjected. "It's unacceptable for two best friends to fall in love. It just doesn't work out."

"Ok well we all know that you are socially backwards which is why you barely have friends," Alicia said ignoring me completely.

"Hey, I can still put in some more dawn practices you know," I threatened.

"Relax I was kidding…But it's not a secret that girls tend to hate Jamie," Alicia started again.

"Why do girls hate Jamie?" I asked not knowing this.

"Some best friend you are. When she started spending so much time with you that catty bitch Trisha Freitzel went around telling everyone that Jamie was in the boys' dorm so much because she was sleeping with all of their boyfriends," Alicia explained.

"That's a lie!" I shouted defending my friend.

"I know, welcome to the world of girls. It's not like Jamie's ugly so the girls didn't find it hard to believe. So with Jamie isolated from girls she and you being obsessed with Quidditch you guys never actually realized that you were more than best friends!" Alicia concluded. She should feel proud of herself I hadn't even been able to figure that out. But it just couldn't be true.

"Spinnet that makes no sense," I informed her.

"Oh it does," she said getting up and leaving me to poke around the diagram I had made of the Quidditch pitch. The final was in two days. I pushed all thoughts of Jamie out of my mind as I focused on memorizing plays and tactics. Yet all the while thinking of those eleven freckles, the only other thing I had ever bothered to memorize.

(( Please read and review! I really do write faster with encouragement ; D ))


	4. Regarding Quidditch

_((A/N a Quidditch match takes place this chapter but I'm not going to go into detail about it. Also much thanks to __Cinny75__ for the review. This is the last chapter!!!! Please read and review :D ))_

4.Regarding Quidditch…

**Jamie Finnegan Hates Quidditch.**

I have always hated Quidditch. I just couldn't for the life of me take an interest in it. Of course, this became an issue when Oliver Wood became my best friend. Oliver has always loved Quidditch. Therefore I made it a habit to force myself to sit through every Quidditch match at Hogwarts. I always came to watch Oliver play; it's the job of the best friend to be supportive. I even wound up coming when he wasn't playing because Oliver needed someone to tell that he thought the Hufflepuff Chasers were all out of formation.

So Quidditch and I came to a compromise. I would never play it but I always watched it. However, I have encountered another rather unexpected battle against Quidditch. I am currently fighting Quidditch for the affection of Oliver, because unfortunately I have come to terms with the fact that I am in love with Oliver. However, Oliver is in love with Quidditch. And there lies my problem.

I was sitting with Oliver two days before the final match; his last chance to win the cup. Oliver was as nervous as a house-elf about to betray its master. He kept muttering plays under his breath as he fidgeted with a diagram of the pitch with little X's and markings all over it. He had that blazing look in his eyes that I associated with the creation of plays. It was then that I realized that Quidditch was the true love of Oliver Wood.

However, it's the day before the final match and I can't help but feel, well sad. Maybe I'm sad because it's going to be you know the last Quidditch match I'll ever see at Hogwarts…no that can't be it. Maybe I'm sad because Oliver's one true love is a sport and he is therefore missing out. Ok yeah I know that's not it either. I'm sad because Oliver would rather read playbooks and draw little diagrams with X's everywhere than talk to me. Let's face it. I'm jealous of Quidditch. I needed someone to complain to so I tracked down Hermione in the library.

"Hello Hermione," I said sliding into the chair across from her.

"Oh hello Jamie," Hermione said looking up from her book. When she realized it was me she put a bookmark between the pages as if she could already tell this was going to be awhile.

"I've realized something Hermione," I told her getting straight to the point.

"What have you realized?" Hermione asked patiently.

"Oliver doesn't love me," I started.

"No?" she asked looking interested.

"No. Oliver loves Quidditch," I informed the third year.

"Yes I have noticed he is quite the fanatic," Hermione observed.

"Hermione, if Quidditch was a person Oliver would marry it," I explained, "Oliver is much more than a fanatic. Oliver is in love with Quidditch."

"Oh, and this is a problem I take it?" Hermione wondered. Of course it was a problem. If I didn't have a problem I wouldn't be tracking down a third year in the library…a place Oliver and I usually avoided. I usually got kicked out for being too loud. Having red hair often comes along with having a flaming temper as well.

"It is. Oliver would never love me because he is way too obsessed with Quidditch," I told Hermione as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't understand. Why can't he love both you and Quidditch?" Hermione asked looking quite confused.

"Oh forget it," I said letting out a frustrated sigh. "Thanks for listening to me complain," I said as I made to leave.

"For the record Jamie," Hermione began, "I think it's possible for Oliver to love both you and Quidditch if you give him the chance." Then again how would she know? She barely knows who Oliver Wood is.

After thinking for quite some time I decided Hermione was right. I needed to give Oliver the chance. Meaning I had to tell him or nothing would ever happen and we would just be two socially backwards people for the rest of our lives. I went to the common room to look for Oliver.

"Looking for Oliver?" asked Alicia Spinnet.

"Um yeah, how'd you know?" I asked surprised.

"How could I not?" she asked smiling. I smiled back nervously. I wasn't used to girls talking to me let alone being nice to me.

"Do you know where he is?" I asked.

"He left about ten minutes ago. My best guess is that he went to the," Alicia began.

"Quidditch pitch," we both finished. Alicia grinned.

"Thanks!" I said spinning on my heel and almost running out of the room. I couldn't help it I was excited. It's not everyday you tell your best friend that you're in love with him.

"No problem!" Alicia called out to my retreating back. When I finally got to pitch it was getting rather late. I could make out Oliver's head in the Gryffindor Stands. Swallowing my fear of heights I began the climb up to where he was sitting.

"What are you doing up here?" I asked knowing full well what he was doing.

"Just you know thinking," Oliver answered. And the truth was I did know. I found that I understood the strange habits of Oliver Wood better than I thought I did.

"Oliver there's something I have to tell you," I said all previous excitement I had felt was melting into nervousness. My voice was shaking slightly the nerves taking control of my body.

"What is it?!" asked Oliver looking concerned.

"I-I-I HATE QUIDDITCH!" I blurted out. I immediately covered my mouth as if I had just uttered something foul. Of course, in Oliver's world I had.

"That's impossible. No that's just unacceptable." he answered matter of factly.

"I hate Quidditch Oliver," I repeated wincing as I could see the effect this was having on him. It was not a very good one.

"You don't hate it. You come to every game," Oliver pointed out in disbelief. He was in denial.

"Yeah I come for you," I told Oliver.

"Me?" he asked as if it were a foreign concept.

"Oliver I lov" I began to say a newfound courage absorbing me.

"Don't say it!" Oliver interrupted me hastily. He covered my mouth with his hand as if to stop me from cursing in front of an eight year old.

"What?" I asked bewildered.

"Please don't say it," he was actually pleading with me. This didn't make sense. "I just can't deal with this right now Jamie. This could ruin everything!" I stared at him in complete shock. The hurt was welling up inside of me. How could I be so stupid as to actually think this would work out?

"Fine if it's that awful to hear me say that I love you I'll just go!" I said my cheeks betraying me and turning a bright shade red.

"What?" Oliver choked out, his voice nothing more than a whisper.

"I love you…but that's just _unacceptable_ right?" I confessed turning on the spot and bolting away from him. Tears threatened to pour down my cheeks. I would not cry over him. I willed the tears to go away but it didn't work. He didn't even call me back.

**Oliver Wood loves Quidditch.**

How could she do this right now? I thought she of all people would understand that I can't deal with anything except for Quidditch this close to the final. I watched as her red head turned into a blur. Damn she was fast. I can't even wrap my mind around what just happened. She loves me? That doesn't make any sense. Then again, everyone's been telling me that for the last couple of weeks. But I can't think about that right now.

I walked back into the common room. My team was still awake. Fred and George were cracking jokes to entertain Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. Harry was sitting off, being Harry.

"Did Jamie find you?" Alicia asked excitedly.

"You mean she didn't come back through here?" I asked slightly worried. Jamie could loser her cool very quickly but she always came to her senses just as fast. Where had she run off too?

"No," Alicia said frowning. Obviously I wasn't giving her the reaction she had been hoping for.

"Team bed," I announced as I climbed the stairs to the boys dorm. I heard Alicia mutter to Fred.

"You'd think that hearing that she loved him would put him in a good mood." I punched the wall out of sheer frustration. Ok that hurt. Maybe that wasn't the smartest idea. Quidditch, think Quidditch.

The next morning I didn't see Jamie at breakfast. After checking the hall for her impossible to miss red hair I turned my focus to my team making sure they ate enough but not too much.

"Team pitch," I instructed leading them outside. It was our last game, against Slytherin no less, we were going to win. The team seemed to understand my need to win this game, our need to win this game. I watched from the locker room as the school filed into the stands. Once we marched out onto the pitch I scanned the Gryffindor stands for Jamie. I could spot her from miles away with that hair. I saw her sitting next to Percy and my heart leapt. She was here for me…maybe we still had a chance…maybe she would understand. She always did.

"Captains shake" I shook Marcus Flint's hand glaring at him all the while.

After the game ended in the Gryffindor victory I couldn't believe it. Everything was just so surreal. My team and I flew together in one massive hug as I lifted the cup into the air. I had never felt happier in my life. I could barely make out Jamie through the crowd. She was standing there a smile on her face. I couldn't believe that after how mean I was to her last night she was standing there, happy for me. But after all she knows me best. Then a figure got in my way. It was Trisha Freitzel, one of the most annoying people on the face of this earth. And then Trisha took it upon herself to kiss me.

I tried to pull away I really did try. But for such a small girl Trisha was pretty strong. When I finally did get away from her clutches Jamie was already sprinting back towards the castle. Dammit. The happiness that had been previously coursing through me was starting to fade considerably. Then the strangest thing happened to me. My seeker Harry Potter's friend Hermione Granger came up to me with her hands on her hips looking very angry.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," she said.

"I uh, what?" I asked bewildered I don't think I had ever spoken to her in my life. There was that one time she fixed Harry's glasses but other than that…

"Why were you kissing Trisha Freitzel. Didn't Jamie tell you…you know," Hermione asked. Merlin even Hermione Granger new that Jamie and I, well me and Jamie were, I don't even know how could she know?!

"How does everyone know about this?" I wanted to know. Hermione just glared at me.

"I told Jamie I couldn't deal with it," I found myself telling Hermione after a couple minutes of silence.

"You have taken way too many quaffles to the head my friend," Fred commented.

"You too?" I asked feeling flustered.

"We'll take it from here Hermione," Angelina said.

"Good luck with that," Hermione commented causing George, Katie, and Alicia to laugh.

"Wood how thick are you?" George asked.

"What are you talking about!?" I demanded to know.

"A girl tells you she loves you," Alicia began.

"And you say you can't deal with it," George adds.

"Which I can get that you were really nervous at the time," Katie said.

"But honestly who gets you better than your best friend?" Angelina asked.

"And we all know you're totally in love with her," Alicia says.

"She forgives you for being a total prat," Fred put in.

"She comes to watch you play a game she hates," Angelina said.

"And then you kiss her enemy!" Katie exclaimed.

"Well when you put it like that," I sighed sinking my head into my hands.

"You can see what a thickhead you were being," George commented.

"And you can admit that you screwed up," Fred told him.

"Ok I get it I get it!" I exclaimed.

"It's about time," Percy Weasley said coming up from behind me.

"You too?" I asked again completely nonplussed.

"I've sat through every single one of Gryffindor's games with her," Percy explained, "I've listened to her lecture me about how dangerous the sport is and I've seen her flip out every time you get whacked by one of those stupid bludgers. And I've been your roommate for six almost seven years now. I've listened to you complain about her boyfriends and tell stories about how great she is and moan her name in your sleep. Believe me I'd have to be a complete idiot not to know that you two are either spend way too much time together or that you two have completely fallen for each other."

"Wow Perce that was," George said in mock amazement.

"Really something," Fred finished.

"Shut up you two!" we all chorused. I looked around at my friends hopelessly.

"What do I do?" I asked.

"Finding her might be a start," Katie suggested. I took off towards the castle. After about fifteen minutes of fruitless searching I finally found Jamie in the library.

"Did you know you are the hardest person to find?" I asked upon seeing her seated in the corner reading a Transfiguration book.

"Did you know I'm extremely mad at you right now?" she replied not looking up from the book which upon further observation I realized had been upside down.

"Yeah I kind of figured you would be," I said.

"And with good reason," Jamie said putting the book down and leaving the library. I followed her out.

"Trisha kissed me. I didn't kiss her back I just couldn't get her off me!" I began the case for my defense.

"That's nice," Jamie said apathetically still avoiding looking at me.

"Jamie look at me!" I said stopping. She stopped and finally did meet my gaze. "I am really sorry for acting like such an arse last night. I was really overwhelmed and"

"Oliver what do you want?" Jamie asked cutting me off.

"You," I answered without hesitating.

"What?" Jamie asked taken aback.

"You. I want you. I know it's taken me forever to realize it but I love you Jamie," I told her the words flowing out of my mouth. I could have rambled on and on but Jamie decided that wasn't necessary as she had pressed her lips against mine in one swift motion. Ok so I was wrong before, _now _I had never felt happier in my life.


End file.
